Call for Authors:What Works to Promote Inclusive, EquitableMixed‐Income, Mixed‐Use CommunitiesNew Edited Book Volume

Introduction

By most measures, the problems of residential segregation and economic inequality in American cities have gotten worse in recent decades. Low‐income households of color are not able to live and thrive in opportunity‐rich communities. Research increasingly suggests that breaking down the spatial concentration of disadvantage – advancing more mixed‐income, mixed‐use communities – is a critical foundation for promoting a higher quality of life and greater access to opportunity for low‐income households. Twenty‐five years of federal and local mixed‐income policy have yielded a broad array of experience among city planners, public housing authorities, real estate developers, community partners and others about how to promote access to economically‐integrated, racially‐diverse communities for more households.

While there has been important progress, current political and economic circumstances make this work more difficult than ever. This is an opportune time to take stock of what has been learned and chart a future course toward more effective efforts to promote and sustain mixed‐income communities that will achieve measurable outcomes for households.

Volume Focus

This edited volume is provisionally titled What Works to Promote Inclusive, Equitable Mixed‐Income, Mixed‐Use Communities. It will be the fifth in the successful Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco series that aims to critically examine some of our society’s most pressing issues, compiling innovative ideas and the latest knowledge in the hopes of advancing policy and practice. The series has established a strong track record for producing accessibly written volumes that serve as valuable resources for the community development field.

This volume aims to compile fresh thinking and experience on the topic of how to create and sustain mixed-income, mixed-use communities that foster equity and inclusion. We are seeking brief essays on the latest research and practice, promising innovations and possible investment and scaling opportunities.

The objectives of the book are to:

compile the best recent thinking and experience on this topic,

provide an opportunity for a greater range of voices and perspectives to be heard,

inform policymakers, practitioners and researchers, and

attract resources from a broader array of investors with a vested interest in this area.

Format

The volume will follow the general three-section format of previous What Works books:

an opening section with invited essays that provide context and background,

a middle section of brief essays recruited through this Call for Authors,

a concluding section with invited essays that synthesize some of the key themes and look ahead to the future.

The volume publication is tentatively scheduled for early 2019, though some essays may be made available online prior to the book publication.

Thematic Framework

By “mixed-income, mixed-use communities” we mean neighborhoods that are economically and racially diverse and inclusive, with housing for renters and owners of a variety of income levels, and with a comprehensive array of amenities and resources to support a high quality of life for everyone who lives there.

We expect that least three broad strategies for promoting mixed-income, mixed-use communities will be explored in the volume:

development that promotes mobility and access to existing mixed-income, mixed-use communities, and

preservation of existing mixed-income, mixed-use communities that are facing gentrification and displacement pressures.

We welcome proposed essays that include other ideas about promoting and sustaining mixed-income, mixed-use communities that may not fit into these three categories.

In addition, we are planning to compile fresh thinking about the emerging practices and real challenges to advancing inclusion and equity. For example, how might people living and working within mixed-income, mixed-use communities create avenues for individuals and groups that have been historically excluded to share power over the decisions that shape their lives and to cultivate trusting relationships with others across differences.

Partners

The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities (NIMC) at Case Western Reserve University is the book’s editorial and production lead. The Federal Reserve Bank of San Francisco will advise NIMC and publish the book. The Urban Land Institute (ULI), through the ULI Terwilliger Center for Housing, will support the development and dissemination of the book, through the inclusion of ULI members’ perspectives and sharing of the key findings at national and local ULI events. Funding for NIMC’s participation in this project is provided by the Kresge Foundation.

Prospective Authors

We are inviting proposed essays from a wide range of voices across the country, including grassroots leaders and professionals who may not traditionally contribute to literature on community development. We are committed to promoting diverse perspectives, including those across race and ethnicity, geography and roles.

We will work closely with authors to provide editorial support with the goal of ensuring a mix of contributors and cultivating an array of strong contributions. The editorial team will review submitted abstracts and select authors for participation. Following notification, authors will be asked to complete a written agreement that specifies the expectations and benefits of participation.

Essay Format

The essays will be relatively short—around 4 to 10 pages—and in an essay style. Authors should consider the following questions as a guide to their essay: What strategies, approaches and interventions show promise? How will your ideas promote and sustain inclusive, equitable mixed-income, mixed-use communities? What are some of the challenges? What are some of the key implications for policy and practice? Is there an investable proposition that you are advancing that could be scaled for widespread use and adoption?

Timeframe

Proposed abstracts will be due Wednesday, December 20, 2017. Authors will be selected in early 2018 and all essays will be finalized by the end of summer 2018. The book’s release in early 2019 will be followed by a six-month dissemination plan that may include public forums, conference presentations, and web-based events.